HOLLAND, CHARLES JAMES
HOLLAND, CHARLES JAMES
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army
Troop E, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate),
Date of Action: August 18, 1967
Citation:
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Charles
James Holland, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in
connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile
force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Troop E, 17th Cavalry, 173d
Airborne Brigade (Separate) in the Republic of Vietnam. Staff Sergeant Holland
distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 18 August 1967. On
this date, in an area 15 miles northeast of Dak To Special Forces Camp, Dak To
Province, in support of Operation GREELEY, the Team's mission was to penetrate
an area heavily infested by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army elements, to
conduct surveillance of enemy routes and to detect and report all enemy
activities. Because heavy enemy activity had been reported in the area, the
mission was considered to be very dangerous. Only minutes before the team was to
be infiltrated, information was received that six-to-eight Viet Cong had been
observed from an aircraft and that they had fired on the aircraft from a
location 1,000 meters from the team's primary landing zone. When offered the
opportunity to postpone the mission, Sergeant Holland declined, merely changing
the location of the infiltration landing zone. During the first few hours after
landing, the team located more than 25 foxholes, only 2 to 3 weeks old. The
following morning they established an observation point from which they could
watch both nearby Highway 14 and a known enemy trail a short distance away. The
observation point, located on the side of a hill, was well concealed by the
vegetation, but permitted an unobstructed view. A short time later, 21 Viet Cong
were observed moving along the trail. After calling for artillery fire, voices
and movement were heard to their rear and they were assaulted by intense enemy
automatic weapons fire, hand grenades and M-79 grenade launcher fire. Sergeant
Holland immediately returned fire but, realizing the extreme danger to his men,
ordered the team to withdraw from the area. He remained behind to provide cover
fire for his men, several times overtaking them only long enough to give
additional instructions. When all the men had safely reached the bottom of the
hill, it was noted that the radio had been left behind. Completely disregarding
his own safety, Sergeant Holland charged back up the hill, firing his weapon in
order to draw the enemy fire from his men. As a result of his gallant actions,
it was possible for the remainder of the team to be safely extracted from their
vulnerable position. The following day, Sergeant Holland's lifeless body was
found a short distance from the point of initial contact. Because he was wearing
part of the equipment which had been left behind, it was determined that he had
reached the observation post and was overtaken by the enemy force while
attempting to return to his men. From an examination of the area in which his
body was found, it was discovered that he had valiantly fought the enemy until
he was overcome. Moreover, evidence revealed that he had inflicted serious
injury on several enemy soldiers. His courage in the face of a determined enemy
force was instrumental in saving the lives of his team members. Sergeant
Holland's conspicuous gallantry, his profound courage and his intrepidity at the
risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the
highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Department
of the Army, General Orders No. 15 (April 8, 1968)
Home Town: Elizabeth, New Jersey
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